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TRUE LOVE WAITSJames Mottram / Empire / 1999
James Mottram: Describe your emotional connection to Boys Don't Cry? Chloe Sevigny: I think Boys Don't Cry was something. It was very special for me. I've been obsessed with the story for five years now. I've known about it for a while and all the different projects that people were trying to make. I worked really, really hard with the part. [Drew] Barrymore and I talked a little bit about me playing Lana in her version; Harmony [Korine] had wanted to make a version. He said 'Well, maybe' to me for Lana. He wasn't really sure. Mottram: What did the film mean to your career? Sevigny: At that point, I was not very excited about acting any more. I said if I'm going to do this, I've just got to do it and try and do something great. It was just a good form for that. It made me excited about making movies again. Mottram: What made you want to be a part of American Psycho? Sevigny: I just thought it was a really interesting project. There are so few films out there with scripts that really affect me. I'd read the book years before, and I'd been following what's been happening with all the different directors attached. I just always knew from the beginning that I wanted to be a part of it. Mottram: What did you think of the novel when you first read it? Sevigny: I thought it was really funny. It was entertaining. I didn't think it was like a great work of art or anything. It was good pop trash kinda fun to read... Oh, God, I shouldn't have said that. Mottram: What do you make of all the controversy surrounding both the film and book? Sevigny: I understand the uproar over the book, because I was actually quite disturbed by just two chapters in the book called 'Girls'. There's a scene with cheese which was very difficult for me to read through. But I don't really understand the uproar over the film: it's more a woman's point of view of the story. They [women's groups] can protest all they want, I don't care. The movie's already made. It's gonna be seen. People are always protesting something. It's good for them if they want to... that they have a cause. Mottram: You also shot julien donkey-boy for Harmony. How did that differ from Gummo, your last movie together? Sevigny: It's still a Harmony movie. It's still the same atmosphere. Everybody really wants to work hard for him and do the best they can do. He's really good about motivating the crew: the best I've ever seen. People are really excited to work with him because he's so excitable to be around. It's the same sort of vibe, I guess.' Mottram: Do you think he was hurt by the critical response to the film in America? Sevigny: Mmm, I dunno. Probably. I think now he realises how out-there and arty the film really is. He thought it was gonna be like a huge commercial success! The first American Dogme. Harmony, Americans don't even know what Dogme is! Mottram: You've been called the 'Queen of White Trash' in terms of the roles you choose... Sevigny: Oh, that's lovely. I don't like to use that term. I don't know what to say to that. I guess Gummo is really a lower-class community. Boys Don't Cry, I guess, as well. The financial situations of my characters effects their lives. But I didn't really focus on that. Mottram: You've resisted Hollywood so far, aside from Palmetto. Have you been approached since? Sevigny: Here and there. Smaller parts in romantic comedies, teen dramas - but I'm not really interested in that. It's not really my path. There's some interesting films being made next year that I'm trying to get involved with. There are lots of great American directors now, I think, coming out. I really like Todd Solondz, and he has a new project which I hope to read for. I don't know... it's looking hopeful. Mottram: You, of course, were nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Boys Don't Cry. How did you find out about the nomination? Sevigny: I was in Berlin... Mottram: How do you feel about such ceremonies? Sevigny: I think people in the industry and people around me are upset with me a lot because I'm not as enthusiastic about things like the Oscars. So that's kinda bad. They say that if I'm not appreciative then people will think I don't want to work, and I won't get the job. I dunno. People's minds... they say you have to let them love you more. It's about the work for me. I'm not going to be remembered for an interview, or at least I hope I'm not going to be. The work is the most important. Mottram: What would you do if you weren't acting? Sevigny: I'd like to do costumes for films, or I'd like to work in the camera department - cinematography. I want to make a bunch of movies... 
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